Spring suspension



June 9, 1 942. N. E. WAHLBERG SPRING SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A/// 5 ERIK WAf/LBERG ATTORNEY.

June 9, 1942. N. E. WAHLBERG SPRING SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M45 ERIK WAHLNBYERG. BY 2 g V ATTORNEY.

June 9, 1942. WAHLBERG 2,285,954

SPRING SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. lV/LJ ERIK WAHLBERG.

% ATTORNEY.

June 9, 1942- N. E. WAHLBERG SPRING SUSPENSION Filed Jan. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .m a H G s? mR m mm o i mm m Q A w& w 3. m m Q 5 Q M w x m N? N2. 93 W i\ 1942. N. E. WAHLBERG SPRING SUSPENSION F iled Jan. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Al/LS ERIK WAHLBERG avg 36 r.) m w gm ATTORNEY.

Patented June 9,1942

Nils Erik Wahlberg,

Kenosha, Wis, asslgnor to Nash-Kelvlnator Corporation, Kenosha, Wia, a corporation of Maryland Application January 6, 1940, Serial No. 312,655

4 Claims.

This invention relates to automotive spring suspensions and has particular reference to a method of supporting one end of an automobile over an axle by means of coil springs.

It is an object of this invention to provide a type of coil spring suspension using a simplified frame.

It is another object of this invention to provide a type of coil spring suspension particularly adapted to use with a rigid driving unit.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel method of installing coil springs and shock absorbers.

It is another object of this invention to provide simple and novel means for supporting a coil spring upon an axle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a coil spring mount particularly adapted for combination with a shock absorber having a long path of travel.

It is another object of this invention to provide a system of coil spring and shock absorber mounting in which means are provided for preventing transmission of vibration from the wheels to the car frame.

It is another object ofthis'lnvention to provide a method of mounting coil springs and shock absorbers which requires less space than mountlngs used heretofore.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel type of sway bar construction for use with coil spring mounting.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following specification and the attached drawings of which there are five sheets and in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of the rear axle, wheels and the rear portion of the frame of an automobile; a

Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 represents a rear elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 4 .represents a broken away elevation of an automobile chassis embodying my invention;

Figure 5 represents a section taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; v

Figure 6 represents a section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;' 1

Figure 7 represents a section taken along the line 1.l of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 represents a partially broken away rear elevation of a modified type of suspension;

Figure 9 represents a section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 represents a section taken along the line Ill-l0 of Figure 8;

Figure 11 represents a partialsection through i a rear spring showing a modified type of spring seat;

Figure 12 represents a section through the sway bar showing the connection between the bar and its supporting brackets.

I have shown (see Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4) an automobile having a motor 15 with clutch housing I5 and transmission housing II. The motor 15, clutch housing l6 and transmission housing i1 are cast as a single rigid unit and are supported by suitable motor mounts I 8 on the side frame members 20. The side members are connected toward the rear of the car by a cross member 22 which is supported over the drive shaft housing 24, differential housing 26 and the rear axle housing 28. Wheels 30 are mounted at .the ends of the rear axle housing.

The drive shaft housing 24 is rigidly connected to the rear axle housing 28 and extends forward to the transmission'housing I 1 to which it is rigidly attached. Driving force from the wheels 3|] is transmitted through the axle housing to the drive shaft housing which in turn transmits the force 'to the transmission and engine block which is fixed to the car frame and body. While I have illustrated this invention as particularly applicable in combination with a driving unit of the type disclosed in the copending application of myself Moore, Serial No. 271,464, filed May 3, 1939, now Patent No. 2,257,630, granted September 30, 1941, it may also be used to advantage with a driving unit in which the rear axle difierential, torque tube, and motor unit are-arranged for limited relative movement.

The side members 20 are each provided with a kick up 32 in the vicinity of the rear axle and are box shaped in cross section having a flanged channel member 34 closed by the plate 36. The cross member 22' is in the shape of a channel having downwardly extending flanges 38 which terminate in the outwardly bent flanges 40. The flanges 40 rest. on the horizontal upper portions of channel members 3 of the side frame members and are welded thereto.

The connection between the cross member 22' and the side members 20 is strengthened by the brackets 42 (see Figures 3 and 5) which have and Meade F.

a top portion 44 welded to the flanges 48 on the cross member and side flanges 46 connecting with the end flanges 48 which are welded to the vertical portions of the channel members 841.

Each end of the cross member 22 is provided with a hole 58 and the top wall 44 of the bracket "42 is provided with a flanged opening 52 in alignment with the hole 58. Positioned over the hole 58 is a U-shaped member 54 channel shaped in cross section, the legs of which are welded at their ends to the sides of the cross member 22. The under surface of the portion 44 of the bracket 42 forms an abutment for a coiled spring 56 which is arranged coaxially with the opening 52 and the hole 58. 'Ielescopically arranged within the spring 56 is a hydraulic shock absorber 58 of the strut type which extends upwardly through the opening 52 andthe hole 58 and is fastened to the bracket 54 by means of the bolt and lock nut assembly 68. I have provided rubber gaskets 62 which fit around the bolt on the shock absorber on each side of the bracket 54. Two cup shaped metal washers 64 :are positioned one against each surface of the bracket 54 to protect the gaskets from wear and to distribute the forces in the shock absorber throughout the gaskets. The outside metal washers 65 are also cup shaped and have a pocket formed at their centers which pocket fits around the end of the shock absorber and the lock nut 68. The gaskets prevent transmission of vibration from the shock absorber to the frame.

The lower end of the spring 58 and shock absorber 58 are supported as follows: The axle housing 28, within which is located the drive axles 29, is provided adjacent each end with a spring seat 66 formed by stamping sheet steel stock into the required shape (see Figures 5 and 6). Each seat comprises a flat annular portion 68 against which the lower end of the spring 56 is adapted to rest. The side: portions of the seats are provided with downwardly flanged portions 18 each of which is deformed into semi-cylindrical shapeto provide seats I2 to flt against the cylindrical surface of? the axle housing 28. Seats 12 may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the axle housing 28. Within the annular spring seat 68, which it will be noted is offset with respect to the vertical plane containing the axis' of the rear axle, the member 66 is centrally apertu'red and flanged upwardly as at 16 for the purpose of centering spring 56 and downwardly as at 18 to provide attaching lugs for a shock absorber support bracket 18. Support bracket 18, which is channel shaped in cross section, is secured by bolts- 11 to the downwardly flanged seat portions 19 and has a central aperture for receiving the shock absorber anchoring stud GI. The shock absorber stud 6i is passed through a hole in the bracket 18 and provided with the rubber gaskets 62. one on each 4 side of the bracket. The gaskets 62 are protected by the cup shaped washers 64 and the recessed washers 65, and the whole assembly is drawn down tight by means of the lock nuts 58 threaded on the end of the shock absorber stud iii in the same manner as the connection at the top of the shock absorber. The fact that the spring and shock absorber are offset to the rear of the axle increases the distance between spring supports an the frame and allows the shock absorber to be lowered making room for a longer shock absorber.

By means of the foregoing construction I am member 22 and the relatively longshock absorber 58 which gives a smoother action than shock absorbers having a shorter travel.

Since the coil spring 58 offers practically no resistance to side sway, I have provided the sway bar 88 (Figure- 3) which is connected at one end to the bracket 82 and at the other end to the plate 84. These connections (see Figure 12) are similar to the connections on the ends of the shock absorbers and are provided with the same rubber gaskets 62 and metal washers 84 for preventing the transmission of vibration through the sway bar. The sway bar 88 is tubular and has each of its ends reduced in diameter to embrace studs 8| which are welded therein and extend therebeyond upon the axis of the sway bar.

The bracket 82 has a triangular flange 86 which is welded to the upper spring seat 42. The bracket 82 is also provided with a side surface 88 (Figure 5) to which the sway bar 88 is fastened and which is welded to the inwardly presented surface of the channel member 34. I have provided the surface 88 with the flange 88 parallel to triangular flange 86 for the purpose,

82 receives the connection of the sway bar 88 and is provided with a stiffening flange 94 which is bent at right angles with the surface 82 and is welded at its bottom portion to a flange 86 on a rear edge of the spring seat. With this construction any tendency of the wheels and axle housing to move laterally relative to the car frame is resisted by .forces transmitted through thebracket 82, sway bar 88 and the bracket 84, such forces being thus transmitted from the axle to the frame. the wheels and the axle are not interfered with in passing over bumps or obstructions in the road.

I have also provided the brackets 88 which are welded to the bottom of the side members 28 over the axle housing 22. These brackets 88 serve to support rubber bumpers I88 which serve to limit the travel of the axle housing relative to the car frame and also. take up some of the r bers come together.

In the modification disclosed in Figures 8, 9 and 10, the parts which are unchanged from those disclosed in the first example of my invention are given the same numbers and serve the same purpose unless otherwise explained.

The U-shaped brackets I54 are fastened longitudinally of the cross member 22 and are provided with the bent out flanges I55 which are welded to the top surface of the cross member. In this manner they differ from the brackets 54 of the first example which were fastened transverse to the cross member. The brackets I42 which strengthen the connection between the side members 28 and the cross member I22 are of slightly different shape than the brackets 42 used in the flrst example in that their top surface I44 is not provided with any flanges At the same time' around the opening I52. The brackets serve the same function of providing an upper seat for the springs 56, and the hole I52 is aligned with the hole 58 in the cross member 22 to re- The depression I18 also forms a seat for a ball I18 carried on the lower end of the shock absorber 58. The plate I66 is retained in place by means of a u-boltl88 and thenuts I82. The U-bolt also serves to hold the upper socketforming member I83 to the plate I66, member I83 being stiffened by flanges I85. The upper member I83 is shaped to fit around the upper half of the ball I18 and complete a spherical socket for retaining the ball I18 in position.

I have provided the annular rubber gasket I88 which fitsbetween the spring 56 and theplate I66 and serves to dampen vibrations which would otherwise pass from the axle housing through the spring to the car frame. I have also provided the rubber gasket I 82 which is spherical in shape and fits between the socket I18--I83 and the ball I18. This gasket prevents the transmission of vibrations through the shock absorber. Both such gaskets act to prevent metal-to-metal contact in the connections between frame and axle.

The sway bar 88 is of the same type as in the first example of my invention but the connecting members arealtered to fit the construction shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. The bracket I88 is a simple channel member welded to the inner surface of the side member of the .frame 28 while the bracket I84 is in the shape of a Z-bar and is fastened to the backing plate I86 of the brake I81 by means of the bolts I88. I have used the same type of connections between the sway bar and the brackets I88 and 184 as is described in the first example of my invention.

The lower spring seat 268 shown in Figure 11 is a stamping similar to the seat I66 shown in Figures 8, 9 and 10. It is provided withan annular outer ring 216 which is deformed where the ring touches the axle housing to form a semi-cylindrical surface in contact with the axle. Inside of the outer ring is a raised portion 211 in the center of which is formed the socket 218 for receiving the shock absorber ball 218. Around the edge of the raised portion 211 is formed the spiral step 288 which starts from the annular outer ring at 282 and rises in a spiral until it reaches the point 284 where it drops back to the point 282. The spiral step is shaped to fit the spiral of the spring 256 so that the bottomof the spring will have a continuous bearing surface without resorting to an expensive grinding operation to flatten the spring end. The seat 266 is provided with suitable rubber gaskets 288 and282 the same as is seat I66.

It will be noted that in both examples of my invention which I have described, a simple straight cross member is used and the spring and shock absorber are so arranged as to be easily assembled and to occupy very little space. The position of the shock absorber also insures that the shock absorber will receive loads directly along its axis and provides for dissipating these loads through long travel of the shock absorber.

While I have described my invention in some detail, it is understood that this description is an example only and is not to be taken as limiting my invention to which I make the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a springing unit, an axle housing, a spring seat supported on said axle housing, a peripheral portion on said spring seat arranged to rest on said axle housing, a raised central portion on said spring seat forming a spring retaining shoulder, and a socket formed in the center of said raised portion 'to receive a shock absorber, said socket depending to the plane of said peripheral portion to abut against said axle housing.

2. In a suspension assembly, a frame having side members, a straight cross member having its ends supported upon said side members and defining an aperture near each end of said cross member, strengthening-brackets fastened to the sides of said side members and the bottom of said cross member, said strengthening brackets forming spring abutments defining apertures aligned with said apertures in the ends of said cross member, and means carried by said cross member over said apertures forming an abutment for a shock absorber.

3. In a suspension unit, an axle housing, a spring seat having a spring retaining shoulder formed thereon, a lower socket formed in said spring-seat within said spring retaining shoulder, an upper socket member. cooperative with said lower socket to form a socket joint. and means for iastening said upper socket member to said spring seat, said means being adapted to hold said spring seat to said axle housing.

4. A spring seat having a central raised portion, a spiralstep formed around said raised portion, a socket formed in .the center of said raised portion, and saddle portions formed on the sides of said spring seat.

NILS ERIK WAHLBERG. 

